In the Northeast spring is the season of green, all the vegetables…peas, asparagus, artichoke, baby lettuces, ramps, and spring onion. And for one day or two all the landscape is the same new green color in unison, did you catch it. Unlike summer the season of colors or fall with its warm palate of burnt oranges and browns, spring is verdant and my opinion the most superior season for pesto.
Most of us were introduced to pesto as the basil variety but pesto, pounded sauce in Italian, can be made with so many herbs and vegetables. I’ve become obsessed with wild greens as a base in pestos, edible greens that are foraged and have deep flavor. My current favorite pesto is ramp leaves with nettles, I blanch both for a couple seconds there is no need to add garlic, ramp a wild alium has that flavor profile covered. A winner for me are pea shoots, they release a wonderful cheesy umami when pounded or pulsed into a sauce, I omit the traditional inclusion of cheese when using them.
Here's a blueprint recipe for a simple herb and vegetable pesto that is made in a blender. Zucchini is a favorite; it blends to the consistency of a cream, as does leftover cooked broccoli. Using sad greens from the fridge like arugula and spinach is another great option. Add half sheet of nori for a flavor variation but also check out Nori Pesto p. 64 in the book, I’m wild for it as a spread on toast with shaved radishes or as a sauce for chilled soba noodles.
Here are some of the many uses for pesto other than for pasta or grain salad; swirled into a crudo, a base for vinaigrette, sandwich spread (i’ve included the recipe below for a favorite sandwich of mine, Angelica’s Kitchen Roasted Tofu and Carrot Sandwich), jar it for a neighbor, freeze it for winter, dallop on steamed veg, spread on a cracker top with an anchovy, hummus-avocado-pesto tartine, mixed in egg salad or potato salad, mix with ricotta and stuff a ravioli, swirl into the wine sauce from steamed shell fish right before serving or slathered on grilled lobster. All this to say make as big of a batch as you dare and use it throughout the week for many different application, it then becomes a sustainable practice.
I’m keeping this lesson quick as we have so much to go through in the next weeks, a field trip to Hix Island House in Vieques, Puerto Rico where I discover many indiginous ingredients growing on property. As well a
s notes on using flowers as we herald in growing season in NYC (a friendly reminder that its blossom season and perfect time to start drying petals for Summer Gomasio p. 106). Plus, I’ll be announcing an actual field trip, a culinary trip to an ancient land marked for Spring 2026 so we have enough time to save up, I hope you’ll join me.
Homework:
Consider an ingredient other than basil to make a pesto with. Follow the blueprint, Master Pesto Recipe from Bright Cooking.
Thanks for joining class.
MASTER PESTO RECIPE
makes 2 cups
1/ cups herbs or vegetables, roughly chopped
¼ cup light olive oil or a neutral oil, such as avocado
¼ cup lemon juice or vinegar
1 Tsp flavor element, such as minced ginger or garlic, whole anchovy fillets, fish sauce, kimchi, preserved lemon, or ¼ cup grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast
¼ tsp salt, plus more as needed
Black pepper
Chili powder, for serving
In a blender, add the herbs, oil, lemon juice, flavor element, and salt and blend on high speed for 1 minute. Add water a spoonful at a time to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
Use the same day, or store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
ANGELICA’S KITCHEN ROASTED TOFU & CARROT SANDWICH
1. TOFU
one block of medium firm tofu
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
a pinch of chile
+preheat oven to 350°
+in a small cup mix all the ingredients together
+cut tofu into thirds horizontally, a tofu patty if you will, this cut is perfect for using it in sandwiches.
+in a baking pan, big enough to fit the three “patties” 6”x9”-ish, add the tofu and tip the sauce over the tofu.
Bake for 30 minutes
2. CARROTS
3-4 carrots
1 white onion
oil, salt, chile powder, honey or maple
+set up a steamer and warm it up.
+peel and cut carrots 1/4 inch thick lengthwise, using a mandoline if you’re confident or by hand using a serrated knife cutting in diagonal slices. cut onion into 1/4” slices too.
+once the water in your steamer is boiling, steam carrots and onion for 5 minutes.
+transfer to a sheet pan, dress them with thin cover of oil, a pinch of salt and chili, and a dot of honey to bring out their sweetness.
+turn the oven up to 400°, bake carrots and onions for 15 minutes.
+remove carrots and onion then lower temperature back to 350° if your simultaneously cooking the tofu.
+spread pesto on two slices of your bread of choice, layer roasted vegetables and tofu. Cut in half and serve.
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